Social Sciences (SS)

Courses

SS 2580 Spectator to Citizen: Community Organizing (2 Credits)

This course is the first course of the three-course sequence, "Spectator to Citizen," offered by the Center for Community Engagement and Service-Learning (CCESL). This sequence is designed to provide opportunities for students to develop a set of public skills and a civic knowledge base that will allow them to actively participate in the public life of their communities. This course strongly encourages students of diverse backgrounds, politics and values to learn together, and from one another, in a safe and challenging learning environment. In this course, students learn about the history of community organizing in the United States and are provided with opportunities to learn and apply public skills, collect and produce knowledge that improves communities, and develop a collaborative and collective worldview across differences. In particular, students define their self interest and individual public lives, build consensus across multiple perspectives, become experts on a community issue, and then bring this issue back out into the community for dialogue and possibly action. Cross-listed with AH 2580, CUI 3987.

This course is the second course of the three-course sequence, "Spectator to Citizen," offered by the Center for Community Engagement and Service-Learning (CCESL). This sequence is designed to provide opportunities for students to develop a set of public skills and a civic knowledge base that will allow them to actively participate in the public life of their communities. This course strongly encourages students of diverse backgrounds, politics and values to learn together, and from one another, in a safe and challenging learning environment. As citizens of the City of Denver, it is our responsibility and right to investigate important issues and be involved in developing a city that betters the lives of the people in our communities. We do this through a community organizing model that includes; research, immersion, and learning of the powers, structures and stakeholders necessary to live in any democratic community, here in Denver or around the globe. Students perform both traditional and community-based research necessary to understand Denver's current issues and policy. Cross-listed with AH 2581, CUI 3988.

This course is the final course of the three-course sequence, "Spectator to Citizen," offered by the Center for Community Engagement and Service-Learning (CCESL). This course provides opportunities for students to engage with a Denver Public School (or urban youth organization) in a meaningful way that will challenge students to think about how our public schools are preparing students to be effective citizens. We also examine the role that universities and communities can and should play in the education process. Students are expected to take a critical look at their own education experience and compare this experience with the education experience of those with whom the student will be working with for the quarter. This course is arranged as a 10-week community learning project. Several classes take place in the community at one of our partner schools. Classes also include group discussions and activities based on the assigned class topic and readings along with your experience in the schools. Cross-listed with AH 2582, CUI 3989.

SS 3890 Pathways to the Public Good Independent Study (1-4 Credits)

The Public Good Pathways Independent Study provides academic credit for reflection, integration, and synthesis of a student’s current and previous work that contributes to the University of Denver’s public good vision. This work is directed by a faculty member and overseen by the Center for Community Engagement & Service Learning (CCESL) and may be completed in collaboration with one or more community partner(s). Public Good Pathways Independent Study opportunities are individually designed as experiences for students who have completed at least one community-engaged class, and they require approval from the Director of CCESL.